In the spirit of the new year and fresh starts, I am moving my blog, you can find the new one here! littledswanderings.blogspot.com
I'm really excited about it! Thanks for your support and input!
Saturday, January 5, 2013
Tuesday, October 30, 2012
Kenya in January!!
First things first....I'm going back to Kenya!!
I cannot explain how excited I am that I have the opportunity to go back! It has been about 3 1/2 years since I left Kenya and I have thought about it & hoped to go back everyday since.
My boss is graciously allowing me the time off to make the trip with Pastor Steve Rutenbar from January 19-February 1, 2013.
Steve, along with some of the staff & volunteers from Saddleback Church in CA, have devoted more than 15 years to working with countless schools, hospitals, drop-in centers, refugees camps, churches, & precious individuals in Kenya. Steve will be making his last "official" trip to Kitale, Kenya as Saddleback winds down their work in the region. I am sad to see their work there phase out, but so thankful that I had the opportunity to serve alongside him and so many great people, as well as establish some amazing relationships with people in Kenya that I know I can go back anytime. I am extremely grateful to now have the opportunity to be a part of this last team he'll lead to the region... at least his last trip for now ;).
In getting prepared to go back I am praying for the people we have worked with as well as the people we have yet to meet. I am praying for safe travels for the team as we put the team together up to when we travel abroad. And, of coarse, I am praying for support, not just for myself but for everyone making the decision to go on this trip. And on that note...Brian has decided to join the team as well. I'm excited to not only have him along on the trip, I'm excited to see him involved with the Kenyan people, I know he'll be a great part of the team!
Kiddos from
Shimo Primary
If you would like to support mine or Brian's trip, either in prayer or financially, please let us know. We would appreciate either. If you want to support financially, it is a tax write off:),
You can make your check out to Saddleback Church with our trip number, 9003, in the memo line, not our names.
Please mail it to
Daina Goodwin
2208 11th Ave. S.
Nashville, TN 37204
If you want to support Brian, just include his name on a piece of paper in the envelope. I am more than happy to provide stamped envelopes to anyone who wants to support, just let me know. Our deadline for support is December 1st, 2012. I guess I should also specify how much we're trying to raise, $3,248 each. Totally do-able right?:)
If you'd like to support us through prayer, you can begin to pray for our trip & team as it comes together & the people we will work with in Kenya. I will post updates as things progress in this process. Feel free to call me with any questions or thoughts.
I can't thank you enough for taking the time to read this & I promise I'll do my best to post updates. I really wish I was better at blogging and I'm going to attempt to do better. If you have questions about anything at all please ask! Thank you again for taking the time to read this. If you want to see the places I worked and see part of what we'll be doing while in Kenya, this blog was basically my daily journal while I lived there so you can click through past posts to get an idea of where we'll be and what we'll be doing.
Those who know me, know this is a huge piece of my heart & who I am, thank you for always supporting me!
These are just some of the beautiful faces I'll get to see again soon!!!!
Chris, Benja, &Andrew
Boys from Oasis of Hope with Kenyan director, Geoffrey Okumu
The lovely ladies from Oasis of Hope
Kitale Street Boys
Etau & Shaban
Johnstone, Moses, & Martin
Steward, Moses, & Joseph
Evans
I cannot explain how excited I am that I have the opportunity to go back! It has been about 3 1/2 years since I left Kenya and I have thought about it & hoped to go back everyday since.
My boss is graciously allowing me the time off to make the trip with Pastor Steve Rutenbar from January 19-February 1, 2013.
Steve, along with some of the staff & volunteers from Saddleback Church in CA, have devoted more than 15 years to working with countless schools, hospitals, drop-in centers, refugees camps, churches, & precious individuals in Kenya. Steve will be making his last "official" trip to Kitale, Kenya as Saddleback winds down their work in the region. I am sad to see their work there phase out, but so thankful that I had the opportunity to serve alongside him and so many great people, as well as establish some amazing relationships with people in Kenya that I know I can go back anytime. I am extremely grateful to now have the opportunity to be a part of this last team he'll lead to the region... at least his last trip for now ;).
Kiddos from
Shimo Primary
You can make your check out to Saddleback Church with our trip number, 9003, in the memo line, not our names.
Please mail it to
Daina Goodwin
2208 11th Ave. S.
Nashville, TN 37204
If you want to support Brian, just include his name on a piece of paper in the envelope. I am more than happy to provide stamped envelopes to anyone who wants to support, just let me know. Our deadline for support is December 1st, 2012. I guess I should also specify how much we're trying to raise, $3,248 each. Totally do-able right?:)
If you'd like to support us through prayer, you can begin to pray for our trip & team as it comes together & the people we will work with in Kenya. I will post updates as things progress in this process. Feel free to call me with any questions or thoughts.
I can't thank you enough for taking the time to read this & I promise I'll do my best to post updates. I really wish I was better at blogging and I'm going to attempt to do better. If you have questions about anything at all please ask! Thank you again for taking the time to read this. If you want to see the places I worked and see part of what we'll be doing while in Kenya, this blog was basically my daily journal while I lived there so you can click through past posts to get an idea of where we'll be and what we'll be doing.
Those who know me, know this is a huge piece of my heart & who I am, thank you for always supporting me!
These are just some of the beautiful faces I'll get to see again soon!!!!
Chris, Benja, &Andrew
Tuesday, December 8, 2009
Things I Miss The Most
So I've decided I need to blog more, I think it's mostly going to be pictures.
I actually think I just want to post a picture a day of something, anything, hopefully containing beauty...
Im going to start with some of the people, places, and things I miss the most, and that filled my heart with the most joy...
Thanks for reading..
I actually think I just want to post a picture a day of something, anything, hopefully containing beauty...
Im going to start with some of the people, places, and things I miss the most, and that filled my heart with the most joy...
Thanks for reading..
Sunday, September 13, 2009
Possible Outlet?
I feel adjusted, I think I'm adjusted to being back in America. But I slowly Ive come to realize Im far from it.
I don't think I ever got to process everything after I got back from the first trip, and then I went on the road for about 2 months before turning right around and hoping on a plane back to Africa.
Since I've been back, I couldn't figure out what was wrong with me. I could snap out of it long enough to see and catch up with friends, but there was and still is this underlying discontentment and unhappiness.
I think that living in Africa, as crazy as it would get sometimes, gave me a sense of stability and normalcy that I've never had before. I miss it. I miss the peace, I miss the contentment that I felt, and what makes it so difficult is not knowing how to make that my life here. Or even a piece of it, I don't need the whole thing.
I struggle with knowing what that looks like. All I can do is pray and take baby steps in the hopes that God has a plan for this time and where He's trying to take me.
My other goal is to post about all the things we did in Ethiopia in July and August with Mocha Club since I couldn't update my blog from there. So that will hopefully come soon.
Thanks to whoever took the time to read this. I appreciate you letting me vent and begin the processing.
Some of the things I miss
Ambo street boys who now have a home. Last year there were only 4, now there's 11!
My little man Elia
The Oasis kids in Kenya
My favorite person in the world, my munchkin
Some of the street boys we worked with in Ambo, Ethiopia through Mocha Club
Mocha Club One Month Team
I don't think I ever got to process everything after I got back from the first trip, and then I went on the road for about 2 months before turning right around and hoping on a plane back to Africa.
Since I've been back, I couldn't figure out what was wrong with me. I could snap out of it long enough to see and catch up with friends, but there was and still is this underlying discontentment and unhappiness.
I think that living in Africa, as crazy as it would get sometimes, gave me a sense of stability and normalcy that I've never had before. I miss it. I miss the peace, I miss the contentment that I felt, and what makes it so difficult is not knowing how to make that my life here. Or even a piece of it, I don't need the whole thing.
I struggle with knowing what that looks like. All I can do is pray and take baby steps in the hopes that God has a plan for this time and where He's trying to take me.
My other goal is to post about all the things we did in Ethiopia in July and August with Mocha Club since I couldn't update my blog from there. So that will hopefully come soon.
Thanks to whoever took the time to read this. I appreciate you letting me vent and begin the processing.
Some of the things I miss
Ambo street boys who now have a home. Last year there were only 4, now there's 11!
My little man Elia
The Oasis kids in Kenya
My favorite person in the world, my munchkin
Some of the street boys we worked with in Ambo, Ethiopia through Mocha Club
Mocha Club One Month Team
Sunday, July 5, 2009
Tonight, we went to house 1 for dinner. Normally it's reserved for friday nights, but since Im only here for a short time, the house dad's have thankfully made an exception.
We brought along my friend Emmanuel from Rwanda and my friend Jacinta's 3 boys, Charles, Thomas, and Joseph.
Jacinta and Joseph
Moses working hard on the chipati. While we were in the kitchen, Stone, Moses, and I swapped some great stories and just had some great conversation. I've really missed those times the most.
Charles, Thomas, and Joseph
Cassie's slowly becoming Kenyan, she's practicing her balancing skills, starting with a wide cup.
This baby randomly walked in the front door and made itself at home. Her mom came in to take her home and she won't go...She even ate our chipati...Look at those eyes, she even looks like a thief.
Mose and Paul sitting on top of their well
We brought along my friend Emmanuel from Rwanda and my friend Jacinta's 3 boys, Charles, Thomas, and Joseph.
Jacinta and Joseph
Moses working hard on the chipati. While we were in the kitchen, Stone, Moses, and I swapped some great stories and just had some great conversation. I've really missed those times the most.
Charles, Thomas, and Joseph
Cassie's slowly becoming Kenyan, she's practicing her balancing skills, starting with a wide cup.
This baby randomly walked in the front door and made itself at home. Her mom came in to take her home and she won't go...She even ate our chipati...Look at those eyes, she even looks like a thief.
Mose and Paul sitting on top of their well
Saturday
Yesterday, Cassie and I joined Torie, Delia, Sammy, Kylee and Ashley at the Kitale Club to take some of the girls from Discover to Recover swimming. It was so much fun, but I dont have any pictures because theyre all on Kylees camera. Trust me it was really fun. Most of the girls didnt know how to swim, but it didnt stop them from jumping off the diving board.
They had a lot of fun and it was great to see them having so much fun
After the pool, we went to Lydia's house with all the house kids to just hang out and play games and sports and watch Michael Jackson videos for a while...
Steward and Joseph
Moses can slam dunk, no surprise with those long legs
Martin was trying to balance the ball on his head
Kamau sees the tree...
Kamau in the tree
"Football"
Evani
Little Alice, the ball was bigger than her whole body
I hurt my back so i wasn't so active, but I loved just sitting outside and watching the kids play. Kitale is one of the most beautiful places I've seen, and I'm always so content here. It's tough to leave. I'm really excited to go to Ethiopia, because I have missed it and I'm meeting up with a great team, it's just hard to leave a place I feel has become my home and people that are true friends.
They had a lot of fun and it was great to see them having so much fun
After the pool, we went to Lydia's house with all the house kids to just hang out and play games and sports and watch Michael Jackson videos for a while...
Steward and Joseph
Moses can slam dunk, no surprise with those long legs
Martin was trying to balance the ball on his head
Kamau sees the tree...
Kamau in the tree
"Football"
Evani
Little Alice, the ball was bigger than her whole body
I hurt my back so i wasn't so active, but I loved just sitting outside and watching the kids play. Kitale is one of the most beautiful places I've seen, and I'm always so content here. It's tough to leave. I'm really excited to go to Ethiopia, because I have missed it and I'm meeting up with a great team, it's just hard to leave a place I feel has become my home and people that are true friends.
Saturday, July 4, 2009
Sister Freda's
On thursday night we went to Sister Freda's for dinner. She hosted all 18 of us from our house plus a bunch from the hospital. There were so many people!
It was just a great night for community and to spend time outside of "work"
Moses used to live at the hospital but recently moved to Freda's and now shares a room with Davis, whom I love.
I love this one of cassie, i was trying to take a picture of Freda and Richard's backyard and Cassie jumped in front
DAVIS!!! Ive missed hanging out and running around with him. He doesnt talk much, but when he does he likes to correct me in english...
Cassie loves the little kittens, they fall asleep in her lap.
Freda's granddaughter Gail
Davis had some stellar overalls and no teeth
It was just a great night for community and to spend time outside of "work"
Moses used to live at the hospital but recently moved to Freda's and now shares a room with Davis, whom I love.
I love this one of cassie, i was trying to take a picture of Freda and Richard's backyard and Cassie jumped in front
DAVIS!!! Ive missed hanging out and running around with him. He doesnt talk much, but when he does he likes to correct me in english...
Cassie loves the little kittens, they fall asleep in her lap.
Freda's granddaughter Gail
Davis had some stellar overalls and no teeth
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
